Marker die and gauge assembly



J1me 19 4 J. o. LOWELL ETAL MARKER DIE AND GAUGE ASSEMBLY CA QEON PAPE R Filed March 10, 1961 DIE PLATE BATTER N 50 INVENTO/Q JOHN 0. LOWELL, HARVEY R Roam/501v,

E 744419 HTT'OENEYS United States Patent Delaware Filed Mar. 10, 1961, Ser. No. 94,729 1 Claim. (Ci. 101-4013) The present invention relates to a marker die and gauge assembly, such as is used typically for marking shoe upper pieces.

In its illustrated embodiment the invention includes a marker plate and a die plate upon which plates the individual components are mounted by releasable adhesive. The components include a marker block containing the pattern elements, gauge elements, and clamps. The marker plate subassembly is designed to be mounted under the moving head of a press and the die plate subassembly is to be mounted beneath the marker plate on the stationary bed of a press.

The marker block comprises an appropriately sized piece of material such as Masonite having slots or like shapes cut through it to receive the design forming edges, here marker elements. These marker components are backed by an additional piece of Masonite or the like that is tightly fastened to the back of the first one by an adhesive. On the back side of the foregoing assembly, is located a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive which may initially be covered by a masking sheet to protect it and prevent the object from being stuck to other things.

The die plate subassembly is designed to receive a plurality of small gauge buttons that also are made with pressure-sensitive adhesive backings on their under surfaces which initially are covered by masking sheets.

The method of making the die comprises attaching the marker block to the marker plate and inserting this subassembly into a press. The die plate is then inserted in the press, and the marker block is caused to mark the die plate. A pattern of the work piece is positioned by these marks on the die plate. Following this, the marker buttons, with their adhesive surfaces exposed, are positioned around the edge of the pattern in such places as will provide a sure gauge against which the work piece may be located, and are pressed into adhesion onto the plate. A holddown clamp may also be applied in like manner.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple die assembly that can be largely assembled at the shoe factory so that it can be changed without requiring that the entire die assembly be returned to the die factory. It is a specific object to reduce the amount of die structure that must be obtained by a shoe factory from a die factory, and to reduce the amount of work and material required for manufacture of dies. A further object is to provide a die gauge that can be assembled from readily available parts and especially one that can be so assembled by inexperienced personnel. Other objects will appear from the description to follow.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a view of a pattern for the marking of a work piece such as a shoe upper;

FIGURE 2 is a face view of a marker die block;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged section of the marker die block taken on the line 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of a die plate and a clamp thereon, shown with a sheet of carbon paper over the plate ready for placement marking;

FIGURE 5 is an edge view of the relative positions of the marker plate and the die plate in the machine at the time of placement marking;

FIGURE 6 is a view of the die plate after the placement marking;

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FIGURE 7 is a view of the die plate with a pattern thereon and the gauge buttons in position;

FIGURE 8 is a view similar to FIGURE 7 but with the pattern removed;

FIGURE 9 is a transverse section through one of the marker buttons on the die plate taken on the line 99 of FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 10 is a view of the die plate with the work piece thereon; and

FIGURE 11 is an enlarged sectional view through one of the gauge buttons, prior to its application to the plate.

The die assembly includes, as shown in FIGURE 5, a die plate 15 and a marker plate 16. With a conventional press, the plate 15 is adapted to be fastened in a predetermined position on the bed of the machine, while the marker plate 16 is adapted to be secured to the movable head of the machine in predetermined position so that the plate 16 is brought down toward the plate 15 when the machine is operated. In conventional marker and cutting dies, the plates 15 and 16 are supplied respectively with work piece gauges and clamps and marker or punch elements at a die manufacturing plant, and then are shipped to the shoe factory where they are put into the presses and used. Any changes in the gauges or markers require that the whole assembly of both plates and the parts thereon be returned to the die factory and be out of use for the period necessary to make the changes.

In the present invention the major part of the marker die assembly can be done at the shoe factory. The parts that must be made at a die manufacturing plant are essentially only those illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3.

In FIGURES 2 and 3 a marker block 17 is of size great enough to hold the marker elements. In the illustration, the marker block has four strip elements 18, 19, 20 and 21. It will be understood that other numbers, shapes and kinds of marker, punch or cutting elements may be used. As here shown, the elements 18-21 are disposed in appropriate slits that pass through the block 17. A backing plate 23 is secured to the back side of the marker block 17 to back up the strips 18-21 when the block is used in a press. The plate 23 may be secured to the block 17 by a pressure-sensitive adhesive or other like cement. The plate 23 has a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive 25 on its back side. This pressure-sensitive adhesive may be covered by a masking sheet 26 at the time the marker block subassembly is made at the die factory.

The die factory supplies also a plurality of small gauge buttons that may be identical. As shown in FIGURE 11, each of these gauge buttons may consist of a circular disk with a central hole 36 through it and an adhesive layer 37 on its bottom initially covered by a masking sheet 38. These buttons should be small enough to fit into reentrant parts of the pattern, as will appear.

In addition the die factory will supply a plurality of such buttons with clamps attached. To illustrate, a button 40 is here shown as having a spring clamp 41 swiveled at 42 by a pin pressed into the hole corresponding to the hole 36. The button 40 has an adhesive layer on its bottom side which initially is covered by a masking sheet similarly to the element shown in FIGURE 11.

The shoe factory obtains a supply of upper and lower plates such as the plates 15 and 16.

' The shoe factory normally supplies a pattern (FIGS. 1 and 7), usually made of fairly stiff material such as cardboard. This pattern has slits 51, 52, 53 and 54 that correspond to the marker blocks 18, 19, 20 and 21 in shape and position. to the edges of the work piece. Reference to FIGURE 10 will show that the work piece has the same shape as the pattern 50.

It also has edge portions corresponding Process and Use The ultimate object of the present invention is to provide a means automatically to apply a design to a work piece 65 (FIG. as shown by the slits 51-53 on the pattern 50. In this illustration, a marker die is shown, and the description will explain marking operations, although the system can be used with other types of dies. Since the marker block is mounted on the head or ram of the press while the work rests on the bed, it is necessary to position the work piece on the, bed in a fixed relationship to the marker block on the ram.

In the process, the first step is to obtain the parts, including the marker block with the marker elements therein, and the gauge buttons from the die manufacturer. If necessary, the die plate and marker plates are also obtained from the die factory, but they may be available in the shoe factory from having been used with other dies of different design.

The operator withdraws the masking sheet 26 from the back of the marker block and places the marker block at the desired position on the plate 16, and mounts this subassembly onto the ram of the press. The operator then mounts the die plate 15 on the bed of the press and places over it a sheet of carbon paper or the like. If desired, one or more clamps 41 may be placed on the die plate to hold the carbon paper down. This may be done by withdrawing the masking sheet 38 from the bottom of the button 40 and pressing the button into adhesion with the die plate.

With the die plate in position on the bed of the machine, with the marker plate overlying it, the press is operated to bring the marker down onto the carbon paper and imprint the design of the marker onto the die plate, as illustrated in FIGURE 6. The next step is to raise the press ram and withdraw the die plate 15 from the machine. The pattern is located on the die plate by registering the slots 51-54 with the marks made by the carbon paper, as seen in FIGURE 7. The clamp arm 41, being pivoted onto the rivet 42, may be swung over the pattern to hold it in position.

Several of the gauge buttons 35 are made available by withdrawing the masking sheets 38 from their bottom side, and they then are easily placed against the edge of the pattern and pressed down into adhesion with the die plate 15. Enough of these buttons 35 are placed against the pattern 50 to give a sure positioning of the work piece when it is substituted for the pattern. As shown, the gauge is made up of six such buttons 35. When the buttons are thus securely pressed into position on the die plate 15, they can form a gauge as illustrated in FIGURE 8.

There after the plate 15 is again put into use in the machine. Normally the plate 15 is slidable into and out of position under the ram to enable the work piece to be properly located thereon. This positioning of, the Work piece is illustrated in FIGURE 10. The buttons 35 together engage the edges of the work at enough points to accurately position the work piece, and the clamp 41 holds it in place. Then the plate 15 is slid back under the ram of the machine, whereupon the machine is operated to mark the work piece with marks corresponding to those of the marker blocks.

When it is desired to change the design of the marking, it is necessary only to have the factory worker pry the marker block 17, then in use, off of the marker plate 16. Another marker block may be obtained from the die factory to be substituted on the same die plate. If the outside shape of the pattern changes, the buttons 35 may also be removed and the procedure here outlined followed to set the equipment up for the new design, using the same marker and die plates, and, until their adhesive wears out, the same gauge buttons. If any added gauge buttons are required, they may be kept in stock in the shoe factory. They are small and inexpensive and require no special shaping. They do not have to be circular buttons, but should be small so as to have small actual contact with the work, and to fit into reentrants therein.

In former die operation, it was necessary to return the die plate and marker block plate, as well as the marker block and the edge or other gauges, to the die factory, whenever any change was required. Usually a shoe factory is not equipped to manufacture either marker blocks, die plates to which they are attached, or gauges. This made the operation expensive both in tying up equipment and in the labor and transportation for these heavy parts. With the present invention, the parts that require manufacture at the die fatcory are few, small and light in weight. This system permits the die plate, as well as the marker block plates, to remain always in the shoe factory, so that they are available for any gauges or marker blocks that may be required. Hence the amount of equipment required of the shoe factory is reduced. It is obvious that the use of this type gauge saves sending the die plates back simply because the shape of the work iece is changed without changing the pattern. Also the expensive manufacture of gauges is greatly reduced.

Therefore, the present invention markedly reduces the labor, equipment and capital investment in marker dies. The invention is also capable of use with other kinds of dies or the like, particularly in that one or more of the parts are held in place by pressure-sensitive adhesive and so can be removed and replaced in the shoe factory.

The system can also be used with dies other than marker dies. Actually the entire arrangement is useful in setting up cutting dies, as will be evident.

Various. changes and modifications may be made within the process of this invention as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are within the scope and teaching of this invention as defined by the claim appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

A method of making a die assembly for operating on work pieces, comprising the steps of: providing a die block having die elements projecting therefrom and a back surface with pressure-sensitive adhesive; attaching the block to a block plate by the adhesive; mounting the plate in a press for relative movement toward and from a die plate; supplying a die plate in the machine opposite to the block plate, disposing a marking sheet between the die elements and the die plate and bringing them together to impress the die marks onto the die plate; separating the plates; disposing a work pattern over the die marks so as to register with the marks in accordance with the desired ultimate operation of the die upon a work piece; providing a plurality of button-like gauge elements with adhesive on one surface of each; applying them to the plate to adhere thereto at a plurality of intervals around the edge of the pattern so that they constitute a gauge that can prevent movement of the work piece; and removing the pattern.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 78,130 Richards May 19, 1868 408,122 Megill July 30, 1889 726,128 Wiley Apr. 21, 1903 1,607,267 Lublintz et al. Nov. 16, 1926 1,646,413 Lossman Oct. 25, 1927 1,969,973 Edwards Aug. 14, 1934 2,046,872. Eaton July 7, 1936 2,071,003 Scholz Feb. 16, 1937 2,246,795 Daniels June 24, 1941 2,524,962 Dalsemer Oct. 10, 1950 

